It is well known that the proper support and alignment of the head, neck and spine is a crucial factor in obtaining a sound, satisfying and restful sleep. Contrawise, the insufficient support and alignment of the head, neck and spine can interfere with, and completely impede, the ability to obtain a sound and restful night's sleep producing stiffness, soreness and tiredness that can last for days. This is especially the case for people with neck and cervical problems such as arthritis and disc and lumbar ailments. Moreover, it is also well known that different individuals need or require pillows of different shape, height, “give”, and firmness. For example, a pillow that is too thin and unsupportive of the critical areas—head, neck, and spine—of the individual's body results in poor sleep, waking up tired, headaches and neck aches, and having a drained, sleepy feeling all day. On the other hand, a pillow that is too thick and unyielding also produces the above results. But a pillow that is overcomes these defects provides the individual with a restful night's sleep and results in the individual waking up refreshed, rejuvenated, energized and having daylong stamina and vigor.
Thus, manufacturers and retailers have produced and made available a wide variety of pillows of different shapes and firmnesses, with each make and design of pillow intended to meet the different needs of many different individuals—but all with the aim of providing the individual with a sound, satisfying, restful night's sleep. However, even with this wide variety of pillows available, an individual may try many different pillows, expending both time and money, before finding the appropriate pillow; or, the individual may be unable to find just the right pillow and may simply have to endure fitful, uncomfortable sleep and long periods of daylight soreness, stiffness and tiredness. And, of course, all these problems are exacerbated for individuals suffering from arthritic conditions or disc and lumbar ailments.
The prior art discloses a number of devices designed to comfortably support the head, neck and upper torso of a resting, reclining or sleeping individual.
For example, the Dunham patent (U.S. Pat. No. 3,568,227) discloses an inflatable cushion of double-walled construction having a bladder formed by two interconnecting cells.
The Greenawalt patent (U.S. Pat. No. 4,501,034) discloses an inflatable pillow that includes several independently inflatable elements for receiving the neck or cervical region of the individual.
The Christie patent (U.S. Pat. No. 4,724,560) discloses a support pillow that includes a central air compartment surrounded by a continuous liquid compartment wherein each compartment has its own separate valve.
The Cumberland patent (U.S. Pat. No. 4,805,603) discloses a cervical traction pillow that includes a first and a second section separated by a slot wherein an air sac disposed between the sections causes the sections to separate when the air sac is inflated.
The Harper patent (U.S. Pat. No. 4,829,614) discloses an adjustable pillow that includes a neck portion and a main portion and several separately inflatable chambers extending within the pillow.
The Meade, II, patent (U.S. Pat. No. 4,979,249) discloses a support cushion enclosing a bladder that is inflatable by a hand pump.
The Sexton patent (U.S. Pat. No. 5,068,933) discloses a sleeping pillow having an inflatable air bag, a built-in air compressor, and an air exhaust control mechanism.
The Roberts patent (U.S. Pat. No. 6,131,219) discloses an inflatable pillow having a plurality of separately inflatable chambers for conforming the pillow to the specific requirements of the individual.
Nonetheless, despite the ingenuity of the above devices, there remains a need for a cushion or pillow that is quickly and easily adjustably inflatable for properly supporting and aligning the head, neck and spine of a resting, reclining or sleeping individual.